Button-sewing mechanism.



122. SEWING MAGHUJES,

PATENTED MAY e, 1905. J A. A. BOUTON.

.. BUTTON SEWING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED HOV. 20, 1901.

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WITNESSES 2 ?M.omw

ATTORNEY PATENTED MAY 8, 1906 A. A. BGUTON.

BUTTON SLWIN G MECHANISM.

APPI-IGATI'JH FILED NOV.20,1901.

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INVENTOR Chm- 5m WITNESSES ATTORN EY moazw, I. mmuu co MYWLIYNDOIWHERE.msumown. 0 c

wnuesses APPLICATION FILED NOV. 20, 1901.

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INVENTOR m 1- Man 1- BY M- x %M- ATTORNEY macaw. I mmum 00.,mvo-mwaumns. WAWNOY'M. n c

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR A. BOUTON, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO STANDARD SEWINGMACHINE COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORA- TION OF OHIO.

Specification of Letters Patent.

icatenteoi liiay 8, 1906,

Application filed November 20. 1901. Serial No. 82,969.

To all whom it may concern.-

holding device having button-holding jaws that may be tilted to anangular position relatively to the work in order to facilitate theinsertion of a button into or removal from its position between saidjaws. In order to accomplish this result, I make use of a buttonholdingdevice having a tiltable or pivoted portion carrying the button-holdingjaws, and this tiltable portion of the button-holding device willpreferably be controlled in its operation by the presser-bar of asewing-machine of suitable construction-such, for example, as theStandard button-sewing machine, with which my improved button-holdingdevice will usually be employed-said presser-bar when raised serving toraise the utton-holding jaws and the button and also to tilt them to anangular position away from the work. Moreover, the button-holding jawsof the device will usually be released from the button by ajaw-spreading device operated by the presser-bar, and in the preferredconstruction the jawspreading device is fastened directly to thepresser-bar of the machine and the button-holding jaws are pivotallyconnected with the jaw-spreading device in such a manner that as thejaws are tilted away from the work they are simultaneously spread apartto release them from the button.

When a button-holding device having a tilting movement is employed andthe axis of movement is shifted by the presser-bar as the latter israised or lowered for thick or thin goods, the button is thrown slightlyaway from its central osition with respect to the needle, and anadjusting device for centering the button, regardless of the verticalposition of the axis of its tilting movement, is an important' featureof my invention. 5 5 In order to adapt a button-holding device for usewith buttons of various sizes, it is desirable to provide means forlocating the button at a third point in its edge, and an imortantfeature of my im roved button-holdmg device is an adj ustab e stopmovable with one or both of the button-holding jaws to accommodateitself to buttons of different diameters and locate the eyes of thebuttons in the proper position with res ect to the needle re ardless ofthe size of the utton. 4n sewing buttons of difierent thicknesses it isdifficult to clamp the buttons securely at their edges when jaws havinga single depth of opening for the edges of the buttons are employed, andanother feature of my invention relates to an adjustable jaw constructedso as to center itself automatically regardless of the thickness of thebutton to be clamped thereby. Referring to the accompanying drawings, Fiure -1 j is a rear elevation of a portion of a Standard button-sewingmachine havin my improved button-holding device applie thereto. Fig. 2is an enlarged side elevation of the button-holding device in its 0erative position in engagement with the wor Fi 3 is a similar viewshowing the button-holding jaws tilted away from the Work when thepresser-bar is raised. Fig. 4 is an under side view of the.button-holder and illustrates the j aw-spreading means and theadjustable button-stop that is movable in unison with the button-holdingjaws. Fig. 5 is a rear elevation of said button-holder with the jaws intheir closed position. Fig. 6 is a front elevation of the same. Fig. 7is a sectional detail illustrating the adjustable jawspreading means.Fig. 8 is a sectional detail of one of the self-centering button-holdin'aws. 5 Similar characters designate ike parts in the different figuresof the drawings.

In said drawings the sewing machine pro er to which the button-holdingdevice is app ied, and which comprises the bed-plate 1 and overhangingarm 2, each supporting cooperatin stitch-forming devices, may be of theusua construction as employed in'said Standard machine and adapted toform stitches, as in such machine, although the button-holding devicemaybe used i'n connection with other well-known sewing-machines.

My improved button-holding device is preferably connected with thepresser-bar 7, 5 forming part of such machine, that is supported to havean oscillating movement for the purpose of presenting to the needle inalternation either one of two eyes through which the needle is passed insewing on a button; but as the devices for imparting this movement tothe resser-bar constitute no part of my invention they are notillustrated erem.

In some respects the button-holding device herein shown is similar toother buttonholders employed for clamping a button in place during thesewin on of the samethat is to say, said device as a pair ofbuttonholding jaws capable of gripping and releas- 0 ing a button andalso movable toward and from the work to engage or release the same,

the button-holder also having suitable means for holding the work inplace on the clothplate as the needle is passed first through one andthen through the other of a pair of eyes in the button. In the resentconstruction, however, the button-ho der is made up of two main partshinged together to permit a pivotal or tilting movement of one part ofthe de o vice relative to the other. In this construc tion the up er ofthese hinged portions of the button -ho der is fastened directly to theresser-bar and its movements correspond exactly to those of saidpresser-bar, while the lower portion of the button-holder carries thebutton-holding jaws and is connected to a fixed point in such a manneras to permit a relative movement of the lower portion of the holder withrespect to the part secured to the 0 presser-bar, and this relativemovement is made use of to tilt the jaws away from the work and tospread the same to release a button after it has been sewed on the work,the rincipal function of this tilting movement 5 eing to bring thebutton-holding jaws to such an angular position as will enable theoperator to insert a button in place or remove the same readily and witout loss of time. The upper portion of the button- 50 holder embodiestwo principal arts, one of which is a plate 8, having a for ed orbifurcated arm 9 projecting therefrom and adapted to straddle thepresser-bar 7 and be clamped in place thereon by means of suit- 5 ableclam nuts and washers, such as 10 and 11, the ot er principal elementbeing a second plate 12, pivoted to the plate 8, as by means of apin orstud 13, secured to the plate 8 and threaded at its outer end to re- 60ceive clamping and check nuts 14 and 15 to hold said plates together andpermit of a rockin or swinging movement of the plate 12 witIi itssupported parts relative to the plate 8 in a manner to be hereinafterreferred At the lower end thereof the plate 12 has a pair offorwardly-extending arms or ears 16, between which the lower portion ofthe button-holder carrying the gripping-jaws is intended to be pivoted.

The releasing or jaw-spreading means for disengaging the button-holderfrom a button will preferably have its operating element mounted on theupper portion of the buttonholder, and in this construction I haveillustrated at 17 a pair of jaw-spreading arms or cams, the cam-faces ofwhich are designated by 17. These cams are preferably adjustable towardand from each other for the purpose of coacting properly with thebuttonolding jaws when t e latter are set to receive buttons ofdifferent diameters, and these jaw-spreading cams will preferably bepivoted to the upper portion of the plate 12, as by means of screws 18,and may be adjusted simultaneously toward and from each other by asuitable device, such as the right and left hand screw 19, passingthrough correspondingly-threaded openings in projections or bosses 20 onthe spreading arms or earns 17 a coiled spring, such as 21, being placedbetween one of the studs 20 and the ead of the screw 20 for the purposeof exerting endwise pressure on the latter and prevent undue turning ormovement of the same after adjustment.

The main element of the lower or tiltable portion of the button-holderis a carrying or supporting plate, such as 22, to which thebutton-holding jaws are connected in such a. manner as to be capable ofgripping and releasing a button, this plate having in the presentinstance a pair of upturned arms or ugs 22, pivoted to the arms 16' ofthe upper ortion of the button-holder by screws 22".

n this construction the button-holding or gripping-jaws proper(designated by 23) are carried at the ends of a pair of holding mem bersor arms, such as 24, that are pivoted at their rear ends to thesupporting-plate 22 by means of screws 25, synchronous opening andclosing movements of said arms and aws being obtained by providing atthe adjacent edges of the arms 24 intermeshing gear-segments orgear-teeth 26.

Suitable meanssuch, for example, as the coiled spring 27, connecting thetwo arms 24- are employed for closing the jaws, and this spring, being acompression one, will normally tend to draw such aws together when saidarms 24 are released by the lowering of the jaw-spreading cams 17.

It will be evident that the jaw-spreading means should preferably embodya suitable member or members coacting with the earns 17, but located onthe tiltable portion of the button holder, for effecting the properspreading of the arms 24 and their jaws 23.

construction are a pair of faces 28, located in 1 til 3 inner edges ofthe arms 24 and preferabl TM- 5 The coacting elements shown in thepreseN Tk convergin" toward the forward end of the button-ho der to formcam edges cooperative with the cam faces or edges 17 of thejaw-spreading cams 17, both of these comlementary devices being providedwith obique faces in order to facilitate the spreading of the arms 24.

. walls 29, adapted to swing The button-holding or buttongripping jawsproper, which are designated by 23, are preferably so constructed as tobe self-adjusting to buttons of different sizes and thicknesses. Each ofthem has in this case a pivoted gripping member 29, pivoted on pins 30and working in openings 31 in the jaws 23, said pivoted gripping membershaving stopfrom the position shown in Fig. 8 into engagement with thewalls 23 of the fixed portions of the jaws. Said pivoted grippingmembers are also undercut to form the button-gripping faces 32 and 32,which are normally in the (positions shown in Fig. 8, but when turne onthe Hot 30 will be brought closer to a coacting ed face, such as 33, ofthe jaw 23, and thus reduce the depth of the opening between the faces32 and 33 to conform to the thickness .of the thinner button. It will beevident that as the jaws of the holder are brought close together togrip the button the periphery of a thin button will engage the walls 32and force them outward until the up er side of said button is engaged bythe wal s 32, when all of the walls 32, 32, and 33 will clamp the buttonfirmly. Suitable springs, such as 34, secured to the jaws 23, may pressagainst heel portions 35 of the pivoted gri ping members 29 and hold thesame norma ly in the position shown in Fig. 8;

For the purpose of tilting the button-holding aws away from the work Iconnect the plate 22 to a suitable fixed point in such a manner as topermit such plate and the grip- 'pin -jaws to oscillate about a givenpoint,

suc as the pivot-pin 35. This pivot-pin in the-present constructionpasses through one end of a twisted link 36, the upper end of which isin turn pivoted to a screw 37 for movement about an axis at right anglesto that of the pivot 35'. such as 38, is mounted on the pivot-screw37and at its upper end is mounted on the eccentric 39 of theeccentric-lever 40, a pivot-screw 41 passing through the eye of saidlink and secured to a suitable fixed point, such as the depending arm ofthe angle-lpiece 42, secured to the lower end of the over anging arm 2of the machine, serving to support the rear end of the button-holder andpermit a slight vertical shiftin thereof when the eccentric-lever isturned, w liereby the gripping-jaws may be centered again with respectto the needle if they have been tilted away from their normal positionby the vertical movement of the pwisr-bar on the insertion of work ofdiffer- A second twisted link,

In connection with the gripping-jaws I may employ Presser-feet, such as43, movable in vertical openings in the fixed (gripping-jaws 23 andpreferably secure to feet against the material. It will be evident thatthese resser-feet will grip the work and cause the same to readily movewith the button and its holder during the sewing-on operation. i

In order to locate buttons of difierent diameters with their eyes inroper position with respect to the needle, I make use of a button-stop,preferably located at the back of the button-holding jaws, and this stopmay be jaws. In the construction shown the arms 24, by which thebutton-holding jaws are supported, are connected by a linkage comprising two links 45 and 46, the latter of which is extended at itsforward end and has a cam-slot 46, in which works a pin 47, carried by aslide 48, working in a uideway formed between a guide-plate 49 an thecarrier-plate 22, to which said uide-plate is fastened. At its forwardent? said slide has a buttonstop 50, which depends into the plane of thebutton-grippin jaws and is movable therewith, it being evi ent that theconstruction described is such as to cause the button-stop to move awayfrom the buttonholding jaws as the latter spread apartand move towardsaid jaws as the approach each other, these jaws and the button-stopforming three elements of the button enga ing and locating device andservin to ho buttons of difierent sizes firmly in p ace with their eyesin proper position with respect to the needle.

The button-holder may be shifted into and out of its working position,so that its presserfeet will engage or release the work, by any suitablemeans-such, for example, as a lever 51, operated either by hand or by atreadle from any suitable point (not shown) and having a looseconnection, as indicated at 52, with the presser-bar. When theresser-bar is down, as shown in Fig. 2, the resser-feet will be in engaement-with the material and the button-hol in jaws willbe clamped upon abutton, such as the upper or narrow portion of the cam 17 (see Fig. 7)being at this time in engagement with the cam-faces 28 of the arms 24.When the presser-baris raised, however, as shown in Fig. 3, to releasethe presser-feet and holder from the work, the cam 17 will immediatelyspread the arms 24 and the button-holding jaws (as well as thebutton-stop 50) and Wlll simultaneously tilt said jaws about the pivot35 and raise the cam 17 by the movement of the two portions of thebutton-holder about the pivot 22" When the buttons to be sewed to thework have two pairs of eyes therein, the presserbar will be vibrated byits operating mechansprings, such as 44, which hold said presserhavingan adjustable connection with thrf, said jaws and being cooperative withone of 130 ism (not shown) in one direction so as to enable the needleto descend first through one and then through the other of a pair ofeyes in the button at one side of its center (the button-holder turningslightly at such times about the pivot-points 35 and 41) until a certainpredetermined number of stitches has been made, after which thebuttonholder may be automatically shifted about its pivot 13 in adirection lengthwise of the machine to bring the other pair of eyes inposition to be vibrated and receive a like number of stitches throughthe same, a link or connecting-rod 52 being employed herein for thispurpose and operated from a suitable mechanism (not shown) for switchingthe button-holder and its button at the proper time and presenting saidother pair of eyes to the needle.

What I claim is 1. In a button-sewing machine, the combination with avertically movable sup ort and a vertically-stationary support, of autton-holder comprising two main arts or sections hinged to ether, oneof sai arts being attached to an carried by the sai verticallymovablesupport and the other carrying a pair of button-holding jaws and beingconnected with the said stationary support, for the purpose set forth.

2. In a button-sewing machine, the combination with a vertically-movablesupport and a vertically-'stationary support, both being carried by theoverhanging arm of the machine in a position above the work-platethereof, of a button-holder comprising two main parts or sections hingedtogether, one of said parts being attached to and carried by the saidvertically-movable support and the other carrying a pair ofbutton-holding jaws and being connected with the said stationarysupport, for the purpose set forth.

3. In a button-sewing machine, the combination with a movable support,of a buttonholder carried by said suppbrt and having a pair ofbutton-holding jaws tiltable relatively to the work, and adjustablemeans cooperative with said support for tilting the jaws, for thepurpose set forth.

4. In a button-sewing machine, the combination with a movable support,of a button-- holder carried by said support and having a pair ofbutton-holding jaws tiltable relatively to the work, and adjustablemeans, embodying an eccentric-lever, cooperative with said support fortilting the jaws, for the purpose set forth.

5. In a button-sewing machine, the combination with a movable supportand a stationary support, of a buttonholder' comprising two mam arts orsectionshinged together, one of sairfparts being attached to the saidmovable support and the other being provided with a pairof'button-holding jawsand said stationary support, for the purpose setforth.

6. In a button-sewing machine, the combi nation with avertically-movable support, of a button-holder carried by said supportand having a pair of button-holding j aws tiltable relatively to thework, means cooperative with said support for tilting the jaws, and

j aw-spreading means carried by and verticall movable with the saidsupport.

7. n a button-sewing machine, the combination with a movable support, ofa buttonholder carried by said support and having a pair ofbutton-holding jaws tiltable relatively to .the work, means cooperativewith said support for tilting the jaws, and jaw-spread a button-holdercarried by said support and having a pair of button-holding jawstiltable relativel to the work, means cooperative with sai support fortilting the aws, and ad justable aw-spreading means disposed be tweensaid jaws and being carried by the said vertically-movable support.

9. In a button-sewing machine, the combination with a vertically movablesupport and a vertically-stationary support, of a button-holdercomprising two main parts or sections hinged together, one of said partshaving a j aw-spreading device normally stationary with respect theretoand being attached to the said verticallymovable support, and the otherhaving a pair of button-holding jaws and being connected with the saidstationary support, for the purpose set forth.

10. In a button-sewing machine, the combination with thevertically-movable presserbar thereof, of a button-holder carried bysaid presser-bar and having a pair of buttonholding jaws movable bothhorizontally and vertically relatively thereto, means cooperative withthe presser-bar for tilting the aws vertically, and means carried, b andvertically movable with the presserar for controlling the horizontal orspreading movement of the jaws.

11. In a button-sewing machine, the combination with the presser-barthereof, of a button-holder carried by said presser-bar and having apair of button-holding jaws tiltable relatively to the work, and avertically-movable j aw-spreading cam carried by the presserbar andbeing cooperative with one of the said aws.

12. In a button-sewing machine, the combination with a button-holdermovable toward and from the work and having a pair of button-holdingjaws one of which is adjustable toward and from the other, of ajawspreading cam vertically movable between IIO withdrawal of thebutton-holder from the work.

13. In a button-sewin machine, the combination with a buttonoldermovable toward and from the work and having a pair of button-holdingjaws adjustable toward each other, of a jaw-spreading cam verticallymovable between said jaws and being cooperative with one of the same.

14. In a button-sewin machine, the combination with a buttonoldermovable toward and from the work and having a pair of button-holdingjaws adjustable toward and from each other, of a jaw-spreading camvertically movable between said jaws and being cooperative with both ofthe same and adjustable for openings of different widths.

15. The combination with a button-holder vertically movable toward andfrom the work and having a air of button-holding jaws, of means norma lytending to close such jaws, and ajaw-spreading cam vertically movablebetween said jaws and being in normal engagement therewith.

16. The combination with a button-holder vertically movable toward andfrom the work and havmg a air of button-holding jaws, of means norma 1ytending to close said jaws, and a combined jaw-s reading andjaw-adjusting device vertica y movable between said jaws and e agingtherewith.

17. The combination with a button-holder having a pair of button-holdingjaws movable toward and from each other, of a linkage the same andoperative immediately on the 4 connecting said jaws, one of the membersof which is dprovided with a cam-slot, a slide supporte independent ofthe jaws and having a pin extending into the said cam-slot to effectconnection with the linkage and be controlled thereby, and a button-stopcarried by said slide.

18. The combination with a pair of associated button-holding jawsmovable in a horizontal plane toward and from each other, of a pair ofpivoted coacting button-gripping members carried respectively by saidaws and being movable in a directlon transversely to the plane ofmovement of the said buttonholding jaws.

19. The combination with a pair of associated button-holding jawsmovable in a direction toward and from each other and each beingprovided with a fixed button-engaging face, of a pair of pivoted sprin-pressed button-gri ping members carrie respectively by sai jaws andbeing movable in a direction transversely to the plane of movement ofthe said button-holding jaws and toward and from the said fixedbutton-engaging faces thereof.

In testimony whereof'I have signed my name to this specification, in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses, this 15th day of November, 1901.

ARTHUR A. BOUTON.

I Witnesses:

CHAS. O. EMMoNs, W. O. WALKER.

